Cauliflower in Hot garlic sauce -TGRWT #7

Cauliflower called a cauliflower because
A. Looks like flower
B. Is a flower
C. Sounds good
D. All of the above

Cauliflower is high in
A. B6
B. Vitamin C
C. Folic acid
D. All of the above

Cauliflower prevents
A. Cancer
B. Hyper tension
C. Cholesterol

Answers at the end of post

Cauliflower is one those vegetables that hardly enters my kitchen. Why you ask? My DH does not like soggy veggies and usually cauliflower can become soggy fast . But this recipe is very dear to me as this is one of the ways I can sneak in cauliflower in my family.

Recently I came across a blog, Flavor alchemy, that said caramelised cauliflower and cocoa would pair very well because molecular structure was similar. So the Curious Mocha decided to do an experiment of her own. A old recipe with face lift if you may call it was the result of this experiment. I modified the original recipe in two ways when I prepared it this time.
1. Instead of frying it, I baked the cauliflower.
2. I added cocoa.
So any one wanting to make the original just skip cocoa and fry cauliflower.

Ingredients
Cauliflower - 1 head
Oil - 2tbsp
Salt - A pinch
Pepper -1/2 tsp

Garlic Sauce
Oil - 3tbsp
Garlic - 20 flakes roughly minced
Red chilly bits -1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup -4 tbsp
Red chilly sauce -2 tsp
Soy Sauce 2tsp
Pepper- 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - a pinch
Vinegar -2 tsp
Bell pepper - 1 Cut into tiny cubes.
Water 1 1/2 cups
2 tbsp of corn flour mixed with 1/2 cup of water.
Cocoa -1 tsp

Preparing cauliflower Method I[ Face lift way]
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the cauliflower well. Cut the florets and coat it with oil and a generous dash of salt. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a heavy sheet and roast it until golden to brown and caramelized, turning the bits and slices once or twice, about 20-25minutes. Taste, and add salt and pepper.

Preparing cauliflower Method II[Original Way]
Heat oil in wok . Add cauliflower and stir fry on medium till the color golden to brown . Approx 4 minutes on each side. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and keep aside.

Garlic Sauce
Grind garlic to a rough paste. Heat oil. Remove from fire and add garlic and red chilly bits. Stir till garlic changes colors. Add tomato ketchup, red chilly sauce, soy sauce, pepper and salt. Return it to fire. Cook for a minute and add sugar and vinegar. Then add capsicum(used green chillies as I didn't have capsicum). Stir fry for two minutes. Add water and give it a boil. Add cauliflower an slowly add in cornflour and cocoa mixed in water(I use broth to give more flavor). Cook in low for till sauce thickens. minutes . Garnish with spring onions.
This sauce can be used with most of vegetables or meat. Comparable to Hot Garlic sauce you get in Chinese restaurants.

Verdict: I did not feel that cocoa had enhanced the flavor of this particular dish . But it did give it some color. Caramelizing the cauliflower was healthier than frying the florets as the original recipe had asked me to do.
I liked eating the caramelized cauliflower on its own too. A good south beach diet snack I guess



So here is my entry for TGRWT event Caramelized cauliflower & Cocoa Event.

Answers
Cauliflower called a cauliflower because is a flower
Cauliflower is high in all B6, C and floic acid
Cauliflower prevents cancer